Self-cleaning comb



P 6, 1952 K. FRANKLIN 2,610,638

SELF-CLEANING COMB Filed June 21. 1950 INVENTOR. Las-rsa K- FRANKLIN Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF ca-I if SELF-CLEANING COMB Lester K. Franklin, Los Angeles,0alif. Application 11111521, 1950, Serial No. 169,360 7 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in combs for the hair and more'particularly to a self-cleaning comb.

One difiiculty encountered in the use of a hair.

comb is to maintain the same in a clean, condi-' tion. Due to vthe'close spacing of the teeth of an ordinary comb, hairs and other matter become lodged therebetween, particularly at the juncture of the teeth with the body or back of the comb. Removing such unwanted and unsanitary matter has proven to be an extremely vexing problem inasmuch as some sort of tool or implement must be inserted between each adjacent pair of teeth and the matter pried out of its lodging place. Further, extreme care must be exercised in the manipulation of the cleaning tool lest one or more of the somewhat delicate teeth of the comb 'be brokenand the comb made worthless.

' One object of the invention, therefore, is th provision of a comb embodying means'for cleaning any collected matter from between all of the teeth thereof in one simple operation. Another object of the invention is the provision of means adapted to be associated withfexisting combs for cleaning collected matter from between 2 Claims. (CI. 132--28) Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrates another modified construction. I V Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 butillustrates the parts in another position.

all of the teeth thereof in one simple operation.

A further objector the invention is to construct the said means so that all of the sides of each tooth are cleaned, not only the spaces between the teeth. j

A still further object of the invention is to construct the said means so that the same is capable of being manufactured economically.

For further comprehension ofthe'invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, refer ence will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a mate rial part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the comb constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrate the cleaning means in a partially removed position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cleaning means removed from the comb.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line 4+4 of Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the cleaning means.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view similar to Fig." 6, but illustrates a modified construction.

Fig. 10 is another view similar to Fig. '6, but illustrating the comb constructed in accordance with a still further modification of the present invention. I v I The comb and associated cleaningmeans, according to the first form of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1'to 6, includes a comb, back H], from which projects a plurality of closely spaced teeth Il. At either end ofjthe comb a wide guard tooth l2 projects from the back! in alignment with the teeth I I Preferably theentire comb is molded of synthetic resin or plastic material.

Referring also to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the teeth H have their side edges parallel with one another for the greater partof the length'of the teeth, and converge to .form a somewhat 'flat point [3 at the face ends thereof; and, as in Fig. 6, the under edge M of back It] between the teeth is rounded.

According to the invention there isjprovided a cleaningmember I5 inthe form of a channel piece whose base I 6 isformed with a curvature to complement that'of the under edge M of vback l0 and whose side walls are slightly inclined .toward one another, see particularlyFig. 4. Preferably member [5 is molded of the same material as the comb. The rounded base 16 of the channel member I5 is provided with a plurality of transverse slots ll, one for each of the teeth I], and each extending from one side wall of the channel to the other. When the channel 15 is mounted in normal position on the comb, the base'thereof, that is, the material between the slots l1, abuts the rounded under edge M of theback Ill between the teeth II; and the side walls ofthe channel are held against the sides of back H] by their own tension. 7 I i From Figs. 1 and 6, it will be noted that the upstanding side walls of the cleaningmember l5' are shaped to complement the shape of the comb back Ill so that top and and edges of the side walls of the cleaning member will befiush with the top and end edges of the comb back. The free edges of the side walls of the cleaning member I 5 are rounded, as shown in Fig. 6, to provide rounded corners at the top and ends of the comb when the cleaning member I 5 is in position thereon. I

In order to assure that the cleaning member I 5 is set perfectly in normal position with the mate rial between every pair of slots I! in the base thereof abutting. the rounded under edge M of the back between every pair of teeth II, the inner faces of the side walls of member 15 are provided near either end with a rounded extrusion [8 for engagement with a complementary depression 20 in the comb back 10.

The construction is such that when the extrusions l8 of the cleaning member I are engaged in'the depressions 20 the comb is utilized in the normal manner for dressing the hair. When the hair has been dressed the cleaning member 15 is moved from its Fig. 1 position through the position shown in Fig. 2 and finally free of the teeth H entirely, any hair or other matter lodged between the teeth H is removed. The member 15 then is cleaned by placing the same under a water tap or in any other manner and is replaced on the comb.

It is to be mentioned at this point that the invention contemplates the use of the cleaning 1 member 15 with existing combs, the slots II in the base 16 thereof being made of thesame size and spacing as are the teeth of such existing combs.

It may be desired to provide some guidance for the member l5 in its movements from the normal position shown in Fig. 1 to the partially removed position shown in Fig.2, and beyond, so that the said member remains parallel with the back ID of .the'comb. To this end the base [6 of the member l5 .may be made considerably thicker than described hereinbefore, see Fig.7, so that the slots therein engage agreater portion of each of the teeth ll.

.In-that modification of the invention shownin I for its purpose also to clean the tapering ends of the side edges of the teeth H. This form of the invention is illustrated in Figs. .8 and9 wherein like parts are given the same reference numerals as fhereinbefore with a prime added.

In this form of the invention the side walls of the channel cleaning member. I5 are formed at their upper ends with points 21 which continue into upward angularly disposed cleaning surfaces 22.

, The construction is such thatwhen the cleaning member .I 5' is in normal position on the comb theside walls thereof .arespaced angularly away from the back 1-6" of the comb by the points 2l, see Fig- 8. However, as the'member i5 has a cleaning'movement imparted thereto, the points 2| scrape along the parallel side edges of the teeth Hf and clean the latter; and when the said points reach the tapering end portions l3 of the teeth II the angular cleaning surfaces 22, see Fig. 9, engage the tapering portions and clean them. I Again, the top edges of the side walls of th cleaning member l5 are stopped short of the top edgeofthe comb back IO and thatcomb back is formed with laterally extending projections 1 0 against which the top edges of the side walls are abutted, see Fig. 8.

In the further modification of the invention shownin Fig. .10, the side walls of the cleaning member li are spaced a distance greater than the major portion of the comb back 10 However, the top portion lll of the comb back lfi is thickened'to occupy the full space between the adjacent faces of the side walls of the cleaning member with the top edges of those side walls being fiush with the top edge of the comb back 10 At the junction of the side walls of the cleaningmember I5 with the base wall Ni thereof, there are formed upwardly and inwardly directed scraping portions for scraping the outer sides of the teeth I l of the comb as the cleaning member 15 is being removed from the comb. The scraping portions 25 can be formed as one-piece along the entire length of the cleaning mem- 7 understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

v1. A self cleaning comb comprising a comb back having a serieslof closely spaced teeth projecting therefrom, anda cleaning member in the form of a channel piece having side walls to engage the side faces of the comb back and a base with a slot therein for each said tooth to project through, said side walls being spaced adjacent said base from the adjacent sides of said comb back, and scraping portions formed within said cleaning member at the junction of said side walls with said base for scraping the outer sides of the teeth as the cleaningmember is removed from the comb.

2. A self cleaning comb comprising 'a comb back having a series of closely spaced teeth projecting therefrom, and a cleaning member in the form of a channel piece having side walls to engage the side faces of the comb back and a base with a slot therein for each said tooth to project through, said side walls being spaced acljacent said base from the adjacent sides of said comb back, and a longitudinal scraping member at the junction of each of said walls with said base and extending along the length of said cleaning member for scraping the outer sides .of the teeth as the cleaning member is removed from the comb.

LESTER K. FRANKLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

